Derrick Rose: Should Chicago Bulls Shut Him Down To Heal Properly for Playoffs?
Derrick Rose had a scary fall against the Indiana Pacers last Monday. He hit the floor hard with the whole United Center and Chicago Bulls team gasping in anticipated despair.
However, D-Rose and the Bulls are lucky, as Rose only had a sprained wrist, nicked ankle and a bruised hip. Rose gets to play another day, but should the Bulls let him or shut him down this regular season?
Injuries suck and have slowed down Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and possibly Taj Gibson.
Maybe the Bulls should protect their best commodity on the floor and shut Rose down to be completely healthy for playoff action?
Or would that be the wrong move?
The following slides pose some positives and negatives of possibly shutting down the Bulls' spectacular young point guard.
Pro: C.J. Watson Is a Capable Backup
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Remember when poor D-Rose had those neck spasms earlier in the year? He missed the Denver Nuggets showdown Nov. 26.
So what do the Chicago Bulls do? They called on backup point guard C.J. Watson.
Now Watson is not a star player like Rose, but he looked like one when he poured down 33 points, three assists and two steals against the Nuggets. His great performance would have led to a Bulls win if Carmelo Anthony hadn't hit a buzzer-beating shot.
Watson can score and play well when facing tough teams like the Nuggets.
Con: Watson Is Not a Starting PG
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Being without Rose until the playoffs poses a problem. Point guard depth would be seriously compromised.
Watson is not a starting point guard in this league. He is not a good passer, which would hurt the Bulls offensively. Rose is able to hit teammates for open looks or in transition. Watson likes having the ball in his hands.
Essentially, Watson would be a better shooting guard, but he is prevented from that option because of his lack of height (6'2").
If the Bulls roster were analyzed, one would notice that Watson and John Lucas are the only point guards if Rose is shut down. Would Lucas be a good backup? For his 61 career games, Lucas has a 3.0-point average per game and only 0.7 assists. He has played four minutes this year.
Pro: Joakim Noah Got Hurt Playing with Injury
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A cautionary tale the Bulls could refer to is Joakim Noah. The star center played with a hurt thumb since Nov. 27 and played with a bandaged thumb against the Toronto Raptors last Wednesday.
Everything appeared fine, with Noah scoring 11 points and having 11 rebounds, yet appearances could be deceiving.
Noah was examined after the game and was found to have a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which is the band of tissue attached to the thumb's middle joint.
Having the surgery now prevents a more risky procedure on the hand later.
Noah will miss eight to 10 weeks, and his 14 points and 11.7 rebounds a game will be missed.
If the Bulls were more careful with Noah, he might not be missing so much time.
Con: Bulls' Depth Compromised Without Noah and Rose Playing
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If Rose sits, the Bulls lose that extra pop in the point guard position. They will lose a great scorer, passer and team leader.
Add that to Noah being sidelined for a long period, and the Bulls will be without both their stars.
Now, Chicago is still a good team with Boozer, Gibson and Luol Deng, but they wouldn't be the same without their two leaders.
Noah's absence creates a big hole for the front court. Boozer and Gibson would probably rotate in playing power forward and center, but both players lack Noah's length.
Gibson currently has a concussion and the extent of his injury is unknown.
If the Bulls want more length, they could go with Omer Asik. Asik is a good finisher at the rim and a good rebounder, yet he is a bad free throw-shooter and gets into foul trouble.
Kurt Thomas is another option, but he is 6'9" like Boozer and Gibson and has played very limited minutes this year. Unfortunately, his best days are way behind him.
Pro: Rose's Future Would Be Protected
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Noah's injury could possibly slow down his progress. His health might also be problematic with that and the plantar fasciitis he had last year.
The Bulls should view D-Rose's health as a priority. The sprained wrist could break or have a torn muscle. His ankle could be twisted or not heal properly, thus slowing him down.
With Rose sitting, he will be healed and fresh for the playoffs.
A healthy, rested Rose protects his health for future.
Con: The Bulls Would Be Horrible Without D-Rose
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A Bulls team without Rose would be in deep trouble.
Take Saturday's 100-99 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. That's Chicago minus Joakim Noah.
Rose had 34 points, eight assists and six rebounds on 12-for-24 shooting. He was clearly the best player on the floor.
Imagine if Derrick were out of the picture? The Clippers would have stomped the Bulls.
And these are just the Clippers, one of the worst teams in the league. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and the East's elite members would hurt the Bulls in a jiffy.
The Bulls might reason shutting Rose down for the playoffs would ensure his health for important games, but Chicago will not make the playoffs without No. 1 suiting up every game.
Conclusion
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The Bulls should still play Rose—but should remain cautious.
Even though shutting down Rose would ensure his health, the Bulls would revert a bad team who would miss the playoffs.
Missing the playoffs is not the only thing. Rose would be missing time to improve his game and giving the Bulls the biggest bang for their buck.
D-Rose has been nicked up, but they have been relatively minor injuries. What Chicago's training staff needs to do is make sure Rose's health is monitored carefully. If they are uncertain he should play, maybe they should sit him for a few games.
This is different than sitting him the whole rest of the season.
What do you think? Should Rose sit until the playoffs to ensure health, or should the Bulls still play him? Comments are welcome below.
